Cry To Me
by JenesisX
Summary: After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Lucrecia has suddenly ended things between them without explanation. Then one evening, she arrives at his door in tears. Will he turn her away or allow her back into his life? Vincent/Lucrecia
1. Chapter 1

((Author's Note: This story is set approximately thirty years before the events in the original game and my fic Irony of Fate.))

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><p>Alone.<p>

If someone had asked Vincent Valentine to describe himself in one word, that would have been his answer. Sitting in the dark in an armchair facing the window, staring out over the bright lights of Midgar, he had never felt more insignificant in his twenty-six years of life.

On the outside, Vincent appeared to be a success. He had a good job, a nice apartment in which to live, he was young and in good health. But when one really looked, dared to peer beneath the surface… what did he truly have? He was a man with no family, few friends. And for the last two weeks the woman he had fallen in love with had suddenly begun to ignore him, pulling away as quickly as she had allowed him to get close.

Too close…

She was married, after all. But she had repeatedly told him how unhappy she was, how inattentive and cruel her husband could be… While her spouse had continually ignored her in favor of his work and other interests, she had turned to Vincent for companionship and comfort. It was inevitable, really. A sad, neglected woman and a lonely young man looking for his place in the world. Friendship and a shoulder to cry on had evolved into more. So much more… or so he thought.

He loved her with all his heart and soul, that was a fact. It had happened so quickly, so easily, that it had taken him completely by surprise. Even more unexpectedly, she admitted she felt the same way about him. He believed her, wanted to believe it so badly. He still did… even when, after many months of stealing every possible moment to be together, she had suddenly begun to avoid him. No explanation given. Out of nowhere, she could now hardly look at him when they were at work and she'd stopped calling and coming by at night. They hadn't had a fight. There had been no sign of anything wrong between them. No warning or time to prepare. Vincent simply couldn't understand it. The pain of her rejection was beyond anything he had ever felt.

Earlier that day, the reason why his lover had abandoned him had slapped him in the face as he watched her working side-by-side with her husband. They were laughing and joking together as if they were inseparable. She'd even reached out and brushed the hair back from his forehead, much the way she always did to Vincent during tender moments. He had almost turned and fled the room, sickened and wounded beyond words. So that was it, then. After everything they had been through, all the words of love that had passed between them, all of the hopes and fears they had shared from the depths of their souls… She had finally chosen. And he had lost.

What did he expect, anyway, he scolded himself. _They_ were married, after all. They had their work in common, a long past together, similar interests. All Vincent was was a hired gun, a grunt, a lowly rented guard… It was something her husband immensely enjoyed reminding him of at every opportunity. He was an awkward, shy young man with a troubled past. He'd had no previous romantic experience and was unsure of what his future would hold. In her position, he wondered if he wouldn't have made the same decision… Clearly, Vincent simply could not offer her what she needed, or what she deserved. He would need to learn to live with that.

But how?

He felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest and repeatedly stomped on while he watched. Every day, he would see her, forcing him to think about what he could never have… Worse still, he had to witness her renewed relationship with that _bastard_. He wasn't sure if he could handle one more day of standing there, pretending nothing was wrong… pretending that he wasn't slowly dying inside. He hadn't even deserved an explanation, a goodbye. She had turned away from him, just like that, discarded him when he was no longer needed. What did that say about him? Had any of it ever been real?

Vincent hadn't eaten all day, but he found he had no appetite. He was exhausted from so many sleepless nights, where he awoke crying out her name, finding that he was alone in his bed and fighting the tears. Yet he knew as soon as he laid down to try to get some rest, all he would think about was her. His bed only served to remind him of the nights she had shared it with him, keeping him warm… nights that were now forever in the past.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the chair, exhaling sharply. He couldn't go on like this. Perhaps in the morning, he would attempt to meet with his boss and request a transfer, or even resign as a Turk. He wasn't sure he even wanted to remain in Midgar any longer, though he really had no place else to go.

As his mind began to race, considering the options and fighting to keep the pain from overwhelming him, a sudden knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. His eyes opened and he jumped a bit in surprise, glancing down at his watch with a frown. Why would someone be at his door at this hour? It was nearly ten at night. Maybe a coworker had ordered dinner and they'd gotten the apartment number wrong again…

Since he was still wearing his work uniform, not having had the energy to bother changing when he arrived home, Vincent stood and walked across the small apartment to the door. When he paused to look through the peephole, his aching heart nearly stopped in his chest. It seemed his evening of solitude and longing had just gotten quite a bit more complicated.


	2. Chapter 2

Vincent quickly unlocked the door and pulled it open, unable to keep the surprise off of his face. As if she had been able to hear his thoughts through the walls and floors of the enormous building, the woman he loved was now standing before him in the hallway. Her hands were folded nervously before her and she quickly looked down at her feet, averting her eyes. Even so, he immediately noticed that she had been crying, frowning with concern.

"Lucrecia…" he said quietly, studying her as his heart fluttered in his chest. "I… wasn't expecting to see you tonight." _That _was an understatement, he chided himself.

"I… can… C-can I come in?" she stuttered in nearly a whisper, lifting her head and nervously looking about the narrow hallway. The gesture only served to remind him of his place in her life. It wouldn't do for her to be seen with him, especially not at this hour.

"Of course," he said, opening the door the rest of the way and allowing her to step inside before closing and locking it behind them. Part of him scolded himself for allowing it, for not turning her away after the way she'd been treating him. But a far larger part would never be able to deny her anything she asked of him.

Once she had entered his apartment, Lucrecia remained hovering just inside the doorway, wringing her hands a bit and still avoiding looking at him. Vincent wasn't sure what to say, remaining glued to the floor a few feet away and trying to decide what he ought to do. What did she want from him this late at night? Why, after two weeks of near-silence, was she suddenly standing before him looking so miserable? He thought she'd been happy lately… She'd certainly looked it earlier in the day when she was joking around with Hojo, he thought bitterly. The very memory of it made him nauseous.

"Is something wrong?" he finally asked, as much to fill the tense silence as anything else. He really _was_ concerned about her, he admitted. No matter how angry and hurt he might have been, seeing her upset still tore at him. There was no way he could deny it.

She nodded weakly, finally lifting her head and meeting his worried gaze. Her green eyes were red and swollen, her cheeks stained with dried tears. She looked so sad, so pitiful, that it took every ounce of self control Vincent had not to reach out and take her in his arms. All he wanted to do was fix whatever it was that had upset her. His own feelings mattered so much less than hers. He could accept the pain and rejection… He would survive. But to stand by and watch her suffer… That was nearly intolerable.

"Do… you mind if I sit down?" she asked softly, her eyes filling with fresh tears as she quickly looked away again.

"Please," he said, gesturing toward the couch. Lucrecia approached it and sat at one end, tucking her legs beneath her and clasping her hands in her lap. She stared down at them silently, deep in thought. Vincent remained standing, crossing the room until he reached the window he'd been staring out all evening. He turned his back to her and pretended to be fascinated by the view. It was so much easier to think when he wasn't looking at her.

He said nothing, gazing out at the lights and the stars as his mind raced. He had no idea what to do. He was thrilled to see her again, glad she had graced him with her presence no matter the reason. But she was clearly distressed about something, and he couldn't simply ignore what had been going on recently. As much as he wished it would simply go away, that things could return to what they had been… He realized it wasn't nearly that simple.

After several very long minutes of silence, Vincent heard her sigh heavily behind him. She cleared her throat nervously as if working up the courage to speak.

"I've really missed you," she said, so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. His first instinct was to blurt out the truth, that he had missed her, too, more than she could ever understand. But he held back, the reality of their situation drowning out any pleasure he took in hearing those words.

"You've known where I am," he said, hating the bitterness in his voice. He instantly regretted the remark as she began to sniffle.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered, her voice strained with emotion. "Will you please let me try to explain?" She was nearly pleading with him and he could feel her emotions charging the air around them. He shifted his weight, briefly closing his eyes, so conflicted he felt as if his insides were being shredded. What explanation could there be that would justify how badly he'd been hurting? Did the reason even matter?

Still, he nodded his head, able to feel her eyes upon his back. He couldn't help himself. Regardless of why, he felt he simply had to know. He had to hear it from her… He fought hard to ignore the sounds of her crying, nearly sick to his stomach with the effort of holding himself back. He wanted to go to her side so badly, forget everything, and spend the rest of the night comforting her. He wanted to make her smile again, hear her laugh… If she was happy, he would be happy, too. He knew he was lying to himself to a degree, however… Seeing her happy with her husband had certainly not filled him with joy.

"Please listen to me, Vincent," she said, her voice full of sorrow and regret. Just the way she said his name, as if he was someone important, made him weak in the knees. "I know… the way I've been acting the last few weeks was wrong. I never wanted to hurt you. But you have to understand the situation I'm in…"

It was a familiar story, one Vincent had heard and accepted more times than he could remember. Of course he understood her situation. She was a married woman having an affair with one of her coworkers, torn between the two men and seemingly unable or unwilling to choose. He'd heard it all before…

"I do, Lucrecia," he said quietly, his deep voice nearly a whisper. "But I thought things were going well between us. Then suddenly you… simply disappeared from my life. I don't understand… Why? Did I do something to hurt you?" _Or did you realize I am simply not good enough for you…_

"No… _You _didn't do anything wrong," she assured him, still sniffling away the tears.

"Then why?" Vincent said, allowing all the hurt he felt to slip into his voice. He heard her sigh again, still keeping his back to her. He felt the tight control he normally had over his emotions slipping away. The last thing he needed was to watch her cry…

"Two weeks ago, Hojo and I celebrated our anniversary," she hesitantly began. Vincent cringed inwardly. "Well… We talked that night, about our relationship and our problems. He… apologized for the way things have been and told me he wanted to work on making it better. He told me everything I wanted to hear, and I believed him. So I agreed to give our marriage another try. And I couldn't do that if I was still seeing you all the time…"

"So you have made a decision, then."

Vincent closed his eyes tightly against the pain, bowing his head and fighting to remain calm. His chest felt so tight that it became difficult to breathe, and his hands clenched tightly into fists without his realizing. This was it, the moment he had always dreaded the most. Finally it made sense… She was upset because she had come to tell him it was over between them, that this was goodbye. In that moment his life, his world, and everything he had ever cared about or hoped for died.

He was not aware that Lucrecia had moved from her position on the couch until he felt her hand come to rest on the center of his back. He tensed, taken by surprise and unprepared to handle her closeness. He wanted to tell her to go, to leave him alone with his misery, but he couldn't find his voice.

"Listen…" she said softly, her warm presence so close behind him nearly unbearable as his mind reeled with the pain of rejection. "I was wrong… I made a mistake…"

"What do you mean?" he managed to choke out, opening his eyes and daring to watch their reflections in the window before him.

"Tonight… he showed me that he'll never change," she said quietly, watching his expression in the glass. "He convinced me for a little while, but…" She paused, fresh tears trailing down her cheeks. "He's in love with his job, Vincent, not with me. When given the choice between the two, he'll choose his work, every time…"

Why was she telling him this? She was speaking to him as if he was a female confidant and not her scorned lover. Vincent swallowed hard, tensing further as her slender arm snaked around his waist. She leaned her forehead against his back, her other hand coming to rest on his upper arm.

"Please don't do this to me," he protested weakly, though he made no move to stop her.

"Vincent… I came to tell you how sorry I am. I shouldn't have ignored you like I did. You've always been so good to me… And I love you for it. I want to make it up to you…"

He inhaled sharply at her words, closing his eyes and trying to steel his heart. He was just learning to adjust to her absence, to the idea that she was gone from his life… And now here she was, so close, telling him she loved him. It was torture.

"I can't go on like this, Lucrecia," he whispered, standing rigidly with his arms at his sides. Even still, he felt his body warm and begin to respond to the contact. "I have to know for certain…"

"I love you, Vincent," she said again, lifting her head from his back and stepping around in front of him. He tried to look away, but she raised a hand to his chin and forced him to meet her eyes. "I realize now that I belong with you… I want to be with you. You just need to give me time to make the arrangements…"

Looking into her beautiful green eyes, Vincent found it hard to form a coherent thought. She had spoken those words before, and he'd believed her. Yet something always managed to delay her plans, and this time she'd seemed to change her mind for good. Now here they were, in the same situation as before… Lucrecia promising that soon they would be together forever. Despite himself, he felt his resolve crumbling. He wanted to believe her so badly…

"I love you, too," he said in a near-whisper, slowly lifting a hand to rest against her cheek. "I just… I can't…" He shook his head, quickly looking away. "This isn't right…"

"Please don't make me leave," she pleaded, moving in so close that her body was nearly pressed against his. "I… I can't go back there… I can't be alone tonight."

She reached up and turned his face towards her again, moving her hand to the back of his head and guiding him down into a passionate kiss. He didn't return it at first, his mind and body doing battle. This was everything he wanted, all he'd dreamed of the last few weeks… But no, he couldn't do this, he couldn't continue sharing her with another man. He couldn't live in constant fear of losing her again. Gods, he couldn't _think_ when she kissed him that way…

Without realizing it, he began to kiss her back, his arms finding their way around her as she leaned into him, her hands running under his suit jacket and along his sides and chest. Even through his shirt, he could feel the heat from her touch. It was intoxicating.

He hastily broke the kiss, trying to catch his breath and regain control of his emotions. She looked up at him questioningly, tilting her head a bit as she studied him. Instead of tearful, her eyes were now sparkling with love and desire, and he found he couldn't look away. Any remaining resolve to stick to his earlier statements was now gone. On some level, he was aware that she was using his body against him, that she knew just how much her closeness affected him. He was weak, so unable to resist her. But at that moment, he no longer cared. All that mattered was that she was here now, in his arms, and that she loved him. They could worry about the rest of it tomorrow…

_~ The End ~_

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><p>((<strong>Author's Note:<strong> This story, obviously, takes place about thirty years before the original game. For those who have read Life After Death and have good memories, this scene may also seem a bit familiar. When Vincent reveals to Lucrecia that he is Sephiroth's father in Chapter two, she recalls a certain event while trying to determine how that could be possible. This is the evening to which she was referring. Congrats, you just read the story of the night Sephiroth was conceived! Ha. Thanks for the read, please take a moment to review if you don't mind. Much appreciated! Also, check out Calm Within the Storm for another one-shot in the present time for our happy couple. They are also featured in my latest multi-chapter, 'Transformations.' ~ Jen ))


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